Not so Familiar Nights
by Felix3D
Summary: Random snippets for Zero no Tsukaima. Tons of interesting ideas, like "Tsundere Mother", "Indiana Jones and the Pink Tsundere". Also has a Maouyuu cross and a snip called "A Cat(girl) is fine too"
1. KarinDere (Having a Tsundere Mother)

Direct rip from SB again. This time, I did a "Karin-Dere" snip, where Karin was a tsundere mother. If you've read her Side stories, you'd know just how tsundere and adorable she was when she was Louise's age.

THERE. DONE.

It... it's not like I want you to enjoy it or anything!

~.o.~

Karin-dere - What if Karin kept her tsun-dere attitude and was Dere-Dere for her kids... (Warning, modified personalities, as if you couldn't already tell... and some original lines)

~.o.~

"Your mother is kind of ... _special_." - Princess Henrietta de Tristain, Age 5.

~.o.~

Once again the youngest Valliere found her cheeks ravaged by Elanore's hands, protesting every tug and pull as she tried to wrest away from her sister's grip.

"Really, you're doing such selfish things! War? What would you do there? Good things? How do you think Mother would react to the news!"

At that, Louise suddenly stopped protesting her eldest sister's ministrations, and the hold upon her cheeks loosened.

"... how bad is it? Soft... or Hard?" she asked somberly.

The blank look she received only served to fuel her new-found panic and trepidation.

Despite their mother's Legendary stoicism and self-control, the immediate and royal families knew better. Once past the hard shell of rules and regulations, an even stronger personality hid. Yet it was fickle in its existence. The three daughters, being witness to this personality the most, knew what to call the two ways this "inner Karin" presented herself: "Soft", and "Hard".

For the girls, at least, "Hard" was far more easy to deal with than "Soft". Pity for Cattleya, the middle sister who had to live in the estate the whole time, whose illness unfortunately always managed to bypass all defenses and bring out the "Soft" side...

But even if they knew which side to expect, they also knew not to plan so far ahead, as "Soft" and "hard" could switch back and forth at a moment's notice. Truly, they had the most terrifying mother.

~.0.~

It was midnight by the time they arrived at the Valliere estate, the group of five were walking through the ornate halls of the Valliere. In the carriage before arrival, the three sisters informed the two outsiders that everything they saw or would see should be kept the utmost secret. That warning fell on deaf ears as they reached the estate as the two commoners were amazed at the majesty of the place.

And the talking owl, but surely it was a mage's familiar, right?

As maids, butlers, and other servants greeted the beloved daughters, Siesta was taken away by the head maid to be shown her quarters for the stay. Louise glared at Saito one last time to try to impress the gravity of the situation. Of course, it was weakened by the constant trembling and even-paler complexion of his master.

The doors opened in front of him and once again Saito marveled in the richness of the Vallieres. Even more mind-boggling was the fact that Louise always emphasized modest spending as the Valliere way, that her family was proud not to be as wasteful and opulent as others and valued function over form. From the way she spoke of it, Saito felt that Louise was disappointed in that state of things, but here in the dining room of the manor, he couldn't understand it.

This was modest spending?

"Mother... we have returned just now." Eléonore said; Duchess de La Vallière nodded.

At the head of the table, the Duchess Valliere sat. In front of a table filled with food on what Saito could recognize as flame-enchanted serving-ware, her presence was formidable. Forget Elanore, the Mother projected a sense of true power. And this was just for a late-night dinner with family. The way she felt like a predator, stalking the room even with her eyes closed truly unsettled Saito.

That was not say she was not beautiful, she was. Though she appeared sharp, one could clearly see the gentle curves, fair skin, and other attractive features her daughters inherited from her. But on this matriarch, each feature only added to the sense of intimidation.

The three sisters were seated, and Saito stood behind the youngest, against the wall. "The proper place" for him, an elderly butler told the boy. Then, to his amazement, most of the servants filed out of the hall, leaving only the eldest butler, a maid Saito suspected of being the Head Maid, and a few attendants.

The tension was palatable, each sister refusing to make eye contact with each other or their mother. Each began to eat from the small set of assembled dishes, as the attendants began to bring more food from the kitchen.

It was a very opulent meal, with food outshining that of even the academy. Yet ever so often, Saito would see a simple dish in an extravagant platter or bowl, like those already on the table when the meal began, contrasting with the magnificently plated dishes on simple plates. The only sounds coming from the dining room were the sounds of silver forks and knives.

Seemingly emboldened by the silence (or just pushed past her breaking point, Louise spoke. "M-mother-sama."

But it was not the Duchess who responded, but her eldest sister. "Mother-sama! Tell Louise! This foolish child said that she wants to go to a war!"

**Bam!** – Frustration clearly evident, Louise stood up.

"I am not a fool! Why am I a fool for applying to Her Majesty's military forces?"

"Aren't you a girl? War is men's business!"

"That's a very old-fashioned way of thinking! This is now an age when women and men are given equal positions! If positions were only given to boys in the Academy, even you, older sister, would not be able to become a chief researcher at the Academy!"

Eléonore shook her head in amazement.

"Do you know what kind of place a battlefield is? It is not where woman and children like you should go."

"But Her Majesty trusts me…"

"You are trusted? You – the 'Zero'?"

Louise wanted to retort, to tell the truth that she should not, could not... and would not. She would not betray Henrietta like that, even if it meant there were no claims she could make to prove her side. Yet salvation came from the most unlikely of places.

"Eat, Eléonore."

"B-but Mother-sama..."

"Eat."

One command, Extra frosty, coming right up.

The two quarreling daughters immediately returned to their food. Moments later a familiar, yet completely alien voice was heard.

"well... how is it?"

Saito did a double take. Who said that? Judging by the reactions of everyone at the table it was...

Suddenly, the Japanese teen was very aware of a cute female in the room, with a gentle blush and unsure smile, and all the right features sitting at the head... of … the…

What.

Louise's mother cannot be this... this... Saito quickly grabbed hold of himself, and thanked whatever Kami were looking out for him that he was standing behind his master, completely out of sight. He dodged punishment for now, but how did such an intimidating woman become so... so...

Cattleya was the first to respond. "The Meal was excellent, I especially liked the Pain Perdu, it was delicious and creamy, did you make it, Honored Mother?"

Seemingly taken aback by the praise, the Duchess Valliere's blush deepened. "It... it's not like I made it especially for you or anything! I.. I just thought Chef Blancie could use the help. I … I had time on my hands, anyway. The three of you came so late!"

The other two daughters seemed disgruntled by the antics, but added their two cents in nonetheless.

"Is... Is this Albion's famous Decade Aged Cheddar on the Rarebit?" Elanore asked, clearly in wonder, after taking a bite out of a piece of toast with a barely-yellow sauce enrobing its surface. From his vantage point, Saito could not understand how a simple peice of toast seemed so... luxurious with such a simple sprinkling of fragrant green herbs on top of that platform of crispy and gooey goodness.

While the Duchess sat back, clearly pleased at the observation, the butler answered the Valliere heir's question. "Yes, Milady. The Duchess made sure to fetch some-"

"Amie!" came a sharp, scandalized tone, cutting short the butler, now known to be Amie's, explanation.

If any of the three daughters wanted to know more, none spoke up, as they just turned back to their food and enjoyed the meal. This temporary lull finally allowed the blush upon the duchess's face to subside, and all remnants of tension left the room as a sense of tranquil happiness perfused through the dining hall.

It was not until dessert did Louise have her turn to gasp in surprise at the dish.

"Cookberry Pie! But they're not in season! How did we get enough berries?"

Louise dug into her pie, not waiting for a response, but Saito could see the happy glint in her Mother's eyes.

"See Louise, isn't this better than going to silly war? Stop this foolishness, and stay!" Until Elanore spoke, that is.

Turning away from her beloved dessert, a flaky crust filled with barely-tart sweet cookberries, partially gellied under a rich-buttery crust, the youngest Valliere joined the verbal Jousting once again.

"The crown has recognized my competence, I've even obtained the rank of Chevalier! I-"

"Don't lie, how would you, a failure-"

"Enough"

The tension was once again back. Where once was a loving and fun mother once again seemed to be carved from stone. The sharp undertone of the remark left the two quarreling siblings speechless and deflated, all while making them feel ashamed of what they had done.

"I will NOT let an argument disrupt the meal I cooked. We can discuss it all tomorrow, when the Duke comes back."

With that, the three sisters and mother relapsed into silence, finished off the meal, and left. The attendants and Maids filed in and began cleaning up.

"Oh, the poor lady..."

Intrigued by the butler's remark, Saito pressed him for more information. "What do you mean by that, sir?"

"Ah! Lady Louise's... familiar, correct?" a short nod from Saito. "Ah, so it is fine to tell you. You see, you weren't here to witness it, but Milady the duchess was up since before dawn trying to cook a meal for her daughters, she was so excited that they were coming back! And once she finished, she waited patiently throughout the day, skipping dinner so that she could eat with her daughters. For pretty much the whole day she spent alongside us servants in the Kitchen or the Dining Hall, all to prepare her daughter's favorite dishes."

"Favorite dishes?"

The butler brightened at Saito's question. "Yes! If you'd notice, at the start was Cattleya's Pain Perdu, something the Duchess began preparing two nights ago, a recipe Milady has perfected as it is the middle daughter's breakfast of choice since she was little. Next was Elanore's beloved Rarebit, made with "soft bread" and much butter, along with cheese made by an Albion craftsman. And last, for dessert, was Cookberry pie, a pie invented by Milady herself, made from the Cookberry bushes surrounding the back pavilion where the three daughters of the house loved to play when younger..."

The Butler proceeded to ramble on and on, even as a maid took pity upon the Familiar of the Zero and showed him to his room.

~ENDSNIP~

... Gddmt, do you know how freaking annoying trying to characterize a house full of Tsundere is?

Well, this one's more of a set-up snip, and I hope i was able to get across the Dere-Dere side of Karin. I'm going to make another one that takes place after this later, I hope. It'll be more like the one I did before, in post


	2. MaouMage! A world Zero people have seen

**A world zero people have seen**

This is my idea following in the footsteps of the "Kotowaru" adaptation, which is lighthearted yet focused on economics. It is the "Official" manga running in Comp Ace. Though it is not as serious and does not explore the concepts of rape, conqueror's rights, and slavery in detail, it is the most faithful adaptation (manga-wise) to the original threads. (I don't consider the LN's to be the originals.)

If you're wondering what I'm blabbering about, its "Demon Queen and Hero" or "Archenemy and Hero", a new translated "web-novel" from Japan being adapted into a manga. Read it. It is Glorious. How Glorious? Remember your RPG days, one hero, breaking/sneaking into the castle and gloriously killing the Demon King in combat?

"A Hero...? The person who goes behind enemy lines and kills the king** isn't **called a hero. That's what we call an **assassin.**"

That glorious. Read it. It's too good beyond words. Search for it on Batoto under the name "Maou Yuusha". The official adaptation will be under the full name _Maoyuu Maou Yuusha - "Be mine, Hero" "I refuse!"_

Anyway, I named the Demon Queen "Rubis" in this snip.

~o.o.o~

Her familiar was focused on the contraption sitting on Professor Colbert's desk. Louise knew that Rubis knew something, was that close to explaining what Colbert was doing with knowledge far beyond comprehension. She hated that about her familiar.

Rubis often talked about the "library beyond the end". She also knew so much about the world. But not just her world, or even Louise's world, Rubis spoke of knowledge from other worlds.

Louise both loved and hated her new familiar.

The teachers and students didn't know what she was. Some cried "Elf!" only to notice her normal ears. Some cried "Dragon! In human form!" but all those were dead. Though they knew, whatever it was, Louise's familiar was no commoner, or human for that matter. Colbert's tests showed that she had great magic potential, and above all, those stunning slitted claret orbs spoke of her inhumanity.

But Louise knew. She knew the heretical act she committed. Rubis herself told her just what she was. No matter how human she looked, she was the Maou.

**Maou**. The supreme commander of demons. The great evil.

That night, the night after she summoned Rubis, was the longest night of her life. Because Rubis is also known as Ruby-eye, the 43rd heir to the Maou title, at least, of her homeworld.

**The Demon Queen.** The greatest nobility of all that is unholy.

What Louise didn't understand was why Rubis was so kind. Despite all of her yelling, all of her denials that night, Louise was forced to listen to Rubis, out of sheer exhaustion. No matter what she did, Rubis took it in stride and kindly corrected her, often reminding Louise of her favorite sister. No matter what force, what explosions that ensued, Rubis looked no worse for wear, and worst of all, only replied with concern for Louise. No matter how mad, how desperate she got, Louise never got a confrontation, not even when she ran out of steam and started sobbing on Rubis's over-sized chest.

The fact that her useless meat was the size of her head didn't help much either. But Louise cried into them nevertheless, finally having an almost maternal love to ease her pain. Not that she'll ever admit it.

No, what changed everything was that after tiring herself out, Louise spent the night in Rubis's arms, as the latter recounted her story, her wondrous tale of adventure. Of how she, the demon queen, gave up her very being to the Hero destined to kill her, how she fell in love with him, and how the two of them changed the world.

Louise's fears abated and were turned into wonder as Rubis explained that early on, she and the hero teamed up with the Church of Light as they went about their mission to save the world from itself. To save the two sides from everlasting war and the greed of corrupt nobles and merchants.

The tales of wonders soon morphed into tales of survival, as Satan was released and all sides had to fight against him.

Then the tales ended. Rubis, the Hero, and Female Knight escaped their world, only to be separated. By her. Louise.

Her summoning wrenched Rubis away from her love, and her best friend.

The tears started again, but Rubis was undaunted. She reminded Louise that the Spirit of Light promised that the three of them would be together again in the next world.

And so, to lull Louise to sleep, Rubis started to explain the world. Much like how Rubis did to the Hero once, she began explaining how things worked. How agriculture could be improved, how wars could be won without bloodshed.

Louise laid there, head on pillowy breast, as she nodded off, absorbing as much as she could from her familiar.

Which is why, days later, she knew. Every night Rubis would tell her tales of inventions and discoveries that have yet to come, and she knew.

That... Was an **Engine.**

An invention that would change the world so completely, that a phrase would come up likening some of the most atrocious and ruthless tactics to it.

**"Engine of War"**

~o.o.o~

"Amazing. Simply amazing! Louise, your familiar is remarkable!"

Professor Jean Colbert was a man of science. Despite his... youthful mishaps, his whole life has been dedicated to the study of how to use fire for non-lethal purposes. But when the young pinkette's familiar, with her strange ways and knowledge, began espousing all the functions of his toy, ahem, experiment, Jean could not help himself but stare openmouthed in wonder.

"Beyond that, an engine can power a factory, which is a building from which finished products come out."

Her robes fluttered gracefully behind her, as cascades of vermillion gently wafted back into place. It was a thing of beauty, the sheer presence this ruby-eyed woman commanded. Her grace not in speech or manner, but in movement, in clarity. Jean felt that he once again was learning the art of fire magic from the most gifted artisan of flame. They way she said things made him think that no matter what happened or what he believed before, she was right.

"But why would we build factories when we can already make products in workshops and with artisans? How will such a thing make things better without magic?"

The other redhead in the room posed this question. Despite her reputation, and her beguiling looks, Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst knew money: in Germania, after all, nobility was determined by gold. The redhead looked at her closest competitor in looks as she stared back, almost losing her nerve at those red, slitted eyes. But it was not anger, frustration, or even annoyance she saw in those eyes. No, it was kindness. A gentle look, as if she just asked a question Rubis was waiting patiently for, a look of appreciation of her attention to detail and willingness to think. A look she very rarely got from her own family, being the "ugly duckling" of the Zerbst, the embarrassment.

It only made Kirche feel even emptier.

"A good question, Kirche." Turning to address the class, Rubis raised one arm and began to explain. "A factory does what a workshop does. Yet the difference is in quality, quantity, and cost. While workshop goods often are made with great quality, and have unique characteristics, very few of them can be made in a short amount of time, with labor and the scarcity raising the price. Take this desk for example" At that, she turned partway and gestured to the desk the engine sat upon. "It's construction is sturdy but you can see where the artisan worked around the knots of the wood, and how the design deviates from a straight line in certain places. Yet because of the willingness to work around the imperfections of the wood, this desk is far more sturdy than if one were to ignore such things. A factory would not be able to replicate this desk, but rather be sending out an inferior produ-"

"But why would they want to send out an inferior product?"

Kirche was pressing on, wanting to know what was behind this idea of "factory" and "quality, quantity, and cost." It sounded very important, and by the way the twin rubies were sparkling it was important to Rubis too.

"Ah, Miss Noble, is a wonderful question. Not all people need the best of the best product. Instead of buying a great desk for, say thirty gold, if a um… "commoner" could obtain a somewhat shabby desk for fifteen gold, it would be in his best interest to get the shabbier desk, as he does not need to flaunt his wealth."

Laughter and giggles started to spread throughout the classroom, much to the Maou's annoyance.

"But to take this one step further, currently muskets are produced very slowly, a craftsman spending days, if not weeks on a single gun. With a factory, we can arm a whole village, nay, a city, in a matter of days."

Suddenly, this was no longer a laughing matter. Everyone knew the one thing stopping peasant uprisings were the lack of sufficient weapons to go against mages. Muskets were by far the best weapon to use against a mage, giving the attacker range and firepower. The only problem, or rather saving grace, was that nobles controlled the production of those guns. The royal family often employed those gun makers so that they would only be able to make guns for the army, and no one else. For something to be able to arm an entire city…

"Another example is clothing. If all the raw materials were ready, a fully functioning factory may provide a city with a new set of clothes for each resident within a week, far faster than the tailors who would take that week to make one dress. Basically, from something as small as this "engine" whole countries can be built."

~o.o.o~

It had began. Once again the World was at war... and once again Rubis found herself in the middle of things. The runes on her hand were the proof of that.

Gandalfr. The legendary familiar. The Left Arm of God, the Shield and Spear of the Void...

What Irony.

For her, a scholar, and a demon, to have such a title. Hero, or Female Knight would have been better choices for this job, yet her she was. Not "Mind of God", not "Right Hand of God", but the left, the one that holds the shield and spear. Pink Mage, outed as a heir to the legendary power of the Void, had chosen to join the war.

The war. She could fight now, Rubis mused as she traced her runes with her other hand, she wasn't useless any longer. While not on the level of Hero, it seemed that the enchantment she obtained weeks ago gave her battle prowess rivaling that of Female Knight. But it was so much bloodshed.

And no end in sight.

Back in the other world, the wars were simpler, driven by economics and political reasons that she understood and analyzed through her many years. Yet here, in Halkegina, she knew that what she could discover and observe were nay a small fraction of what was truly going on. And worse: She knew that some enemies for sure were driven by Ideology.

Where was the third option now? The path to the other side of the hill? Could she succeed like in Winter Nation?

Her master was looking over her notes and diagrams on technologies and techniques that may bring an edge to Tristian, but the Demon Queen didn't know if she could trust Louise with such... potential power. From what she knew of her master, Rubis could see that Louise grew up in a place that glorified war.

The honor. The riches. The fame. It did not help that her mother, the one person she wanted approval from above all others, was a war hero: a legendary mage knight named "Heavy Wind".

Louise didn't know what war truly was. In a world where glorious battles were used as bedtime stories for the nobility, Rubis knew that without the proper education and mindset, Louise was liable to set off a dangerous game of escalation. With the information and notes available to her, the Demon Queen knew that the youngest Valliere could theoretically bolster the lacking power of Tristain to the point where a counter-invasion of Albion was feasible, but what happened next? A game of retaliation, a century of bloody sieges and ever increasingly efficient killing machines? Or would the whole continent devolve and become starved of resources, leading to periods of famine and anarchy?

The ever-present maniac gleam in her master's eyes as she browsed her notes worried the red-haired scholar greatly. She needed to be taught a lesson. And fast.

"Louise... How far are you willing to go?"

Looking up from the answer to all of Tristain's prayers, the pink-haired mage had a look of wonder upon her face.

"Til the glorious victory of Tristain, of course. We can save our country, Rubis! We can save the Queen." Louise responded, feeling better than she had in many days. "Why? Are there things... even "further" than these?"

Her fears confirmed, the Demon Queen hesitated for a moment as she decided what path to take.

"What is torture?"

To the young mage, the question came out of nowhere. Why would her familiar ask such a question?

"Torture? It's bad. Hurting others for the sake of it. It's illegal."

Wordlessly, Rubis stood up to Louise, then clapped her hands two times and lightly slapped the top of the Void mage's head.

"Hey! Familiar! What are you" The cries of protest were cut off as the Demon Queen once again repeated the pattern.

"I'm warning you, if you do that-"

This time, Louise managed to block the hit from coming through, anger and exasperation on her face, she looked at the ruby-eyed demon.

"Just... What was that for!"

Rubis's head gracefully inclined a bit as her face lost its disinterested look, one eyebrow barely arching in amusement.

"Look. You learned."

Louise was confused. "Learned? What?" What in Brimir's name did her familiar mean?

Removing her trapped arm from her master's grip, the Demon Queen continued her explanation.

"You learned, Louise. You learned that after two claps I'd hit you. That's the basis of torture."

The blank, uncomprehending look still on the young Valliere's face was all the response the busty demon needed.

"That's all torture is. Learning. Getting your target to "learn" that the only way out is to follow your commands. To "learn" that there is no freedom, no choice, no salvation. That's all that torture is. It's so simple. Yet, so many do not understand..."

Slowly, Louise began to follow her familiar's train of thought. The slow revelation gave her an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Somehow, she felt like she did not want to truly know what this concept she has yet to fully grasp meant. Somehow, this idea she supported started to seem so sinister. Her white skin paled further as she waited for the rest of the explanation, inwardly dreading the very words she hung on.

"The cruelest tortures don't have to involve pain, or physical restraints. They strike at something deeper. It is a game of power and control."

Rubis gestured over the plans and diagrams that they had been discussing for use against Albion.

"Just... Like War."

The pink haired girl wanted to protest, yet couldn't. War was Glorious, honorable! It was the duty of a noble and a time to show the pride of a country and further/strengthen the motherland. War was...

"War is just a form of torture two sides inflict upon each other, waiting for the other to break. Yet every tactic used will merit a retaliation" at this, the Demon Queen picked up a sheaf of drawings from the pile of notes, before holding a specific one up.

"From Killing citizens until one side can no longer take it," next, a picture of liquid flame and destroyed fields was presented.

"To creating famine to starve the innocent" The horror slowly grew as Rubis continued to move and explain the pictures and what their usage really meant.

"To using newer and more novel forms of breaking a whole country's spirit, everything we do can be then used against us. To be improved and unleashed upon the "maker" of such a tactic, or as revenge for advancing the state of battle"

"So I ask again, _how far do you want to go_?"

~o.o.o~

AN: I really disliked the middle snip. Maybe I'll rewrite it later…

To quote one of the manga: The Demon Queen has Massive Magic potential, but no magical ability or combat ability. (She can cast small cantrips though)

She can't cast spells, but is a wellspring of mana willpower. (mana is the term to use only when it is tied to land/leylines)


	3. Indiana Jones and the Pink Tsundere

Indiana Jones and the Pink Tsundere Gate between Worlds.

Summon: Indiana Jones, Age 50 (from the year 1949)

Divergences from canon: "less stupidity"

For once Indiana's adventures with Louise took a turn for the sedate. Which was good, as the entourage following them on this trip was the largest yet. Antsy and jealous of her rival, Kirche was the one who provided the information on target this time, the legendary "Dragon's Rainment", but only on the condition that she and Tabitha be able to join in the adventure.

Well, actually, she provided many maps and potential sites, only for Indiana and his pink-haired sidekick, I mean, _master_ to either shoot it down or inform the poor busty teen that they had already raided it.

Overhearing this conversation, Guiche and his girlfriend Montmorency jumped onto the bandwagon, and the elder man had to contract Siesta's help in order to provide support. Which only led to Professor Colbert learning of the trip and expressing his own desire to visit the area.

It was either fortune or fate that Siesta's family owned the relic, and was able to confirm its existence, and so the group set out towards La Rochelle, to the fields of Tarbes, hitting whatever temples, ruins, or caves along the way. Which is where the group found themselves now.

"Indiana Jones! Didn't you say we are on an adventure? This map clearly shows a treasure not many mails off! It's even marked with an X!"

The archaeologist had to keep his eyes closed as the busty redhead bounded around, each statement emphasized by a bigger bounce of her chest. His "Master" did not like it when he "couldn't keep his eyes off of the slut".

Finally opening his eyes, he barely glanced at the parchement presented to him before throwing it over his shoulder. With one finger preventing words of protest from escaping a pair of ruby lips, he looked into Kirche's eyes and explained.

"Look, Doll, Sorry to disappoint you, but in my long experience X never... I mean, Rarely marks the spot."

Hours later, Siesta brought them to the warehouse that held the Dragon's Rainment. The design reminded Indy of the temples of Japan that he helped rebuild and recover artifacts for a year or so. But as the doors parted Indiana's suspicions were confirmed.

He wasn't the only thing from his world here.

"Wha... By the founder... What is it? It's not a canoe, it has wings.. but it can't fly..." Colbert began his analysis, only to be interrupted by the other professor.

"It's an Airplane. A Zero Fighter..." Just like the one found on Akutan by his comrades in the OSS, planes that terrorized his homeland and his allies for so long... But sitting there on the floor of the room, it looked... pristine.

Indiana went closer and inspected the the wings. No deterioration, rivets tight, and the paint was barely touched, most likely from normal use. He couldn't believe what good shape it was in. This "Magic" really worked, after all, Siesta's grandfather owned it, therefore it must have been trapped in this land for over 30 years.

Interrupting his musings was Louise, who unlike the other members of the group staring in wonder, confusion, and/or incomprehension, remembered the tales that Indy told her during their travels.

"Planes... they're flying machines from your world, right? You've used them before right?"

With a roguish grin Jones looked back at his pink-haired partner. "Aye, kid. They fly. I fly in them."

"Can you use it now! Here!" It was Colbert this time, curiosity and excitement making the normally calm and mentorly man seemed like a raving lunatic.

"Fly it? Yes. Safely? No."


	4. M - One World For Another

This is sort of a take on the definition of "eldritch abomination". It seems out of place, but I'm just treating it like a writing prompt.

Warning: Dark. A realistic view on the "flap of the butterfly's wings".  
~o.o.o~  
Many things make an Eldritch Abomination. It has to be strange, it has to be unsettling, and it cannot be truly comprehended.

But it is my belief that there is nothing that locks in one's form into any given template.

Things human sized can be just as scary as a 200 story leviathan. Things flesh colored can be just as mind-breaking as ones in colors we cannot truly comprehend.

To be honest... What is an Eldritch Abomination?

In my eyes, it is whatever you_ don't_ want _anything_ to be. It, or its full effects, are something that the writer themselves cannot _truly_ comprehend. But above all, it is something that those whom it is inflicted upon cannot accept the existence of. It is so _wrong _that the victims cannot even perceive it properly.

To put my neck on the chopping block, I am saying that in some cultures some things that are taken for granted can be E.A's for others.

In 1700's if anyone came across the mass of cells known as "HeLa" could be considered this (now defined as an entirely new _species_). In the 1400's, the self-programming and self-duplicating robot colony created a few years ago would probably qualify too. Both of these examples defy all human logic and understanding of_ that time_. Though now these are considered common and theoretically simple and sound, our sense of understanding has changed that much and grown that much broader/deeper.

Let's go into the future a bit. How about SARS? Or Ebola and Marburg when they first were discovered?

We still only "Believe" we know what caused SARS outbreak. But remember when it first came about? When no lab could confirm whether it was a virus, bacterium, or toxin? SARS effectively disappeared before the final conclusions were drawn. We didn't know what it was or how it worked at first, and could only hope to treat it like a virus or some other sort of known disease. Without knowledge of viruses, or of modern germ theory (post 1800's) Ebola and Marburg seem to be demonic spirits that turn healthy men and women into blobs of ooze (for those who don't know, you are literally liquefied from inside out by time of death/burial). What's more shocking is some of these are airborne and quite hardy...

TVtropes attests that an Eldritch Abomination must be some being that warps reality or some sort of cosmic horror, but promptly contradicts itself later. Let's be honest. Eldritch Abominations are just Wrong. _Wrong_ to the point that even _acknowledging _something _like_ that _may_ exist scares us.

For times like these, I love Kara no Kyoukai's (from the Nasuverse) "criteria to truly terrify"

1) The "monster" must have an unknown or indefinite form.  
2) The "monster" must not have a name.  
3) It's no fun if the "monster" can die.

So... let's see if an Eldritch Abomination can be... Small. Let's see if I can take a theoretically probable thing from our world... and show how it could be an Eldritch Abomination for a less... _civilized_ time.

_**One World for Another:**_ ZnT "orignal flavor"/"Real Life +"

**War has gone.**

No more armed conflicts engulfed the world, as on another Earth, the United Nations was now the Great Council of Earth. With each country in attendance and all armies reduced and combined into one. The age of conventional warfare was over, gleefully announced to the world as a whole, ushering in an era of "World Peace"

**War has changed.**

It was now fought with smiling faces and under the table shots, diplomats used only as smokescreens while allies sabotaged each other seemingly for fun.

**War had changed.**

Attacks were now done by "terrorists", now only highly paid and trained mercenaries backed by any number of countries, coalitions, and parties.

**War had evolved.**

Technological attacks could shut down vital infrastructure and cripple logistics, often doing more damage than any bombing run could. While armies were reduced in size, the number of defenders only ballooned.

**War was evolved.**

Once forbidden weapons were finding new use, from the untraceable nuclear poisons, to the repurposed chemical agents dispersed while disguised as gas leaks and industrial accidents, to biological hazards made to seem like a sudden outbreak. All improved and engineered to become nigh-untraceable, leaving countries paranoid and unable to know who to blame.

**War was Hell.**

Without proof, each member of the Great Council gave the other lip-service, but ordered its own attacks against those who it suspected to be behind things. Conflict and suffering spread and grew, all while the collective leaders expounded the "Triumph of World Peace".

**War is Hell.**

The attacks were never called such, only noted in the news as "tragedies", "disasters" and "calamities". These catastrophes became prevalent and such losses of life were soon considered the norm.

**War is here.**

In Japan, Tokyo, to be precise, one such attack, decades and billions in design and funding, was finally being executed.

**Here is war.**

The backer of the incident scratched its head in conclusion as nothing happened and deduced that the researchers and mercenaries were a sham (becoming more and more common these days), and destroyed the research and accompanying... "materials" so that it could not be traced back to the benefactors.

**Hell is war.**

Never knowing that the chosen vector, the "Patient Zero", Hiraga Saito, a normal boy kidnapped off of a street, fell into a shimmering portal moments after being released back into the population.

**Hell is Here.**

~o.o.o~

Day 00, 20XX AD, Akihabara Denki Gai, GCE Quadrant, Earth.

Dazed and confused, Hiragia Saito found himself waking up at a booth in an internet cafe in Akihabara. Unaware he had even fallen asleep, he wondered why he was at such a place. Looking at a clock, he saw that it was hours later than he recalled, and the thing he remembered clearly was walking out of the computer repair shop with his laptop fixed and upgraded. Shaking his head, he quickly grabbed his things and left for home.

He never made it back.

~o.o.o~

Day 7 of the Term, 60XX in the Years of the Founder. Tristain Academy of Magic. Journal of Jean Colbert.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened today, nothing except the young Valliere, of course. She managed to summon a commoner boy dressed in the strangest fashion, even with one of her famous explosions. An odd note is that despite being incapable of normal spells (but not magic as a whole), the summoning was successful and the binding was flawless. Detect magic was cast upon her familiar, but was negative. It He, however had the most particular runes...

~o.o.o~

Excerpt from URJPC historical study log #002, written 65XX:

On what is now known as day TI+03, the first secondary contact from site 001, what is now known as Tristain Magical Academy, is thought to have happened. Due to the nature of this "curse" and the delay from contact with a "pariah" to onset is highly variable, exact time of contact is unable to be pinpointed. At this point in time, the "curse of the zero" was still unknown, and would be first thought of as a Plauge or illness, but the transformative effects it has on its victims and its unnatural pattern of appearance has left many unable to classify it as anything other than a "curse".

As one water-mage once remarked "It is like the effects of a forced flesh transmutation, only done over the whole body and so slowly that blood leaks out of all of the gaps. In the end, the patients are reduced to that black... mass of what's left"

~o.o.o~

Last Journal of Montmorency [...] de Montmorency, Tristain Academy of Magic Student. First Entry. [URJPC Exhibit 003-064A]

"Day 03" [Day TI+27]

The zero, no, the Valliere seems to be on her deathbed, wracked by some sort of illness or plauge that has never been seen before. The word has already spread to the castle and concerns are running high.

It is good news that it is nothing like what we know of the plauge, but the reality of the situation cannot be understated. If this is declared to be a ...

We all know how that would end.

It is because of this, (after much ... deliberation), I have decided to make this journal, enchanted and bound with the Water Spirit's tears to ensure that it and its contents survive ... what ever may come.

This, I hope, will only be a momento of a time I will forget. But if I do not make it, this will be what I leave behind for my family. A last letter of sorts, but longer.

It all started days ago[...]

[Notes: The residents of the Academy believed that the index case was Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière, whose symptoms were revealed by her wounds sustained on a mission under Princess Henrietta of Tristain. We believe that this curse originated from a corrupted summoning ritual or such cast by the young Valliere, and further damaged by her exploits in Albion to become what we know as the Zero Curse today. Unfortunately, an oversight allowed Duke Valliere to collect her body for burial at the estate along with all her belongings, as no other cases had occurred in the time it took the young mage to die, causing the Tristian agents to declare the suspected plauge to be non-contagious prematurely]

~o.o.o~

"Harem Blood Curse" [Day TI+26]

The "Harem Blood Plauge"'s first victim, a young maid recently acquired by Count Mott first began showing symptoms of the "sweating sickness", known as "Influenza" by Romalians of that time. There was no cause for concern at first, but it soon spread throughout the area and claimed many victims, including Count Mott, and 14 of his other possessions, along with Duke Richards, Sirs Elgard, Marquese, and Weirne, and Bishop Romero. The Young Maid "Siesta" survived, but was later executed in fears that she would spread the "plauge".

URJCP notes: Though thought to be another thing at first, this was later reclassified as more cases of the "Zero Curse", as Subject-S was originally employed by the Tristian Academy of Magic. This is the first time sexual contact has been confirmed to transfer the curse (Sirs Elgard, Marquese, Wierne, Bishop Romero, and Duke Richards [...])

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+30]

Records show that a rash of "Influenza" spread throughout the servant's quarters of the Academy. Guiche de Garamont was recalled to his family's estate for 2 weeks for "disciplinary reasons" as cited by records still intact in the Headmaster's Office.

He would be dead 4 days later, much like many of his friends and classmates at the academy.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+36]

Body of what is believed to be Wardes, traitorous Mage Knight of Tristain, is found in the Main Church in Romalia. Only his face was recognizable, the rest of his body had already deteriorated into black slime interspersed with bone, skin, and organ fragments.

Gallia Closes its borders upon finding out.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+49]

Princess Henrietta dies mysteriously. Secret records show that she had been "infected".

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+51]

King Joseph of Gallia dies. Nothing else is known. His assistant, a woman by the name of "Sheffield", is the first confirmed case of the curse in Gallia, leading this commission to believe that the King also died from the curse. His body was burned immediately, and his neice Yossette was recovered from a monastery quickly, so no further knowledge is available.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+56]

The First Eradication order completed. Tristain Academy of Magic destroyed. All infected students, land, and possessions burned.

Further Eradication Orders are completed across Halkegina throughout the weeks.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+60]

Outbreak claims Germanian Emperor. Albion is thought to have been "infected" at this time, but with all information and knowledge being suppressed by Oliver Cromwell and Reconquista.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+61]

First publicly announced death due to the "Curse of Destruction" in Albion. Oliver Cromwell dies, and political turmoil spreads.

~o.o.o~

Day [TI+79]

A resurgence of cases in the surrounding areas of what formerly was the Tristain Academy of Magic, along with all contracted fire mages displaying symptoms lead the church to declare it is not a plauge it knows of, and is immune to fire magics. A moratorium on the Eradication Orders is issued, and Water mages who treated sufferers and yet-to-be-executed survivors were interviewed. Later the Church would declare that the deaths were not of plauge, but some sort of curse, probably engineered by Elves, other First-born, or Spirits.

Days later, Pope Vittorio dies, from the "curse"

Notes: [...] since this is before a full audit and tally of deaths from each race, this statement was valid at the time. Even though that once the curse spread to the elven lands, it [...]

~o.o.o~

Excerpt from the Greater States of Halkegina review of the URJPC historical study, 80XX.

What once was called the "Curse of Destruction" or "Curse of the Zero" has been revealed to be a "virus". This "Virus" was most likely summoned [...] inside of a familiar [...]. The number of creatures it can infect is astonishingly large, though bats, mice, and meat-eating animals seem to be infected the most. This "curse" has also singularly stopped the use of familiars over a period of centuries, as it was discovered that while the "curse" may not affect certain creatures, they could still transfer it to their owners and other people.

[...] While being the impetus to bring all of us together, we, the Greater Council of Halkegina, can only hope to believe that we would have come together even without this terrible blight.

~o.o.o~

AN: I'm sorry. I'm not sure if I managed to successfully portray a plague as an "eldritch abomination", and would love to flesh the world and effects out more, but I can't write anymore of this right now. Its.. getting too hard. The screams are getting louder.

~o.o.o~  
Improbable real life summon, Saito infected with a Genetically Engineered Ebola/Marburg cross. Airborne capacity and ability to infect birds, bats, and monkeys, with long-delay capability seen in Ebola (can be non-symptomatic and infectious for more than 3 weeks). With none of that no-staying power BS that makes ZEBOV laughable (So that's the Marburg part). (ZEBOV can be summed up as: survive three major days of the assault, you live.)

Yes. Ebola Zaire, with a fatality rate up to 90% is Laughable. It could be FAR worse, given the associated glycoprotiens and mechanism of attack.

For those who may think that my depiction of Viruses surviving an exterminating fire is utter BS, do note that while fire does work (though not as well as it does against bacteria), often it just aerosolizes the virus, so that even if it was not capable of infecting people from the air, it can do so now. This is one of the more prominent theories on how the Spanish Flu was first contracted: by burning infected horse and other animal remains in Kansas.

Heat can kill viruses, but the amount needed is notably higher than the amount to kill most bacterium. Studies have shown that Influenza (Membrane bound and therefore more susceptible to heat) can survive of upwards of 100 C, and the nastier bugs can survive (thankfully rarely) even autoclave temperature, pressure, and times, calling for both chemical and Thermobaric sterilization in high-level labs.


	5. A cat(girl) is fine too

A Cat(girl) Is Fine Too

It was a beautiful clear day, with the sun illuminating a gently undulating sea of grass. The zephyrs that caressed the land brought energy and a refreshing peace to all who welcomed it with their bodies. There, in the middle of a group of bright eyed children, one girl was enjoying another aspect of the wonderful day, a black... furry-eared...

Sorry. The black-furred 57 kilogram mass nuzzling the said girl with unprecedented enthusiasm was not a usual feature of a bright sunny day, no matter how many otaku or perverted schoolboys wished it to be.

In actuality, it was the girl's summoned creature, as she was a mage at one of the most crucial times of her life.

Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière, pink-haired menace, destroyer of worlds rooms, second-year student at Tristain's Academy of Magic, the "Zero", was having an interesting time trying to bind her familiar. Clearly it was friendly and liked her. While not as majestic as a manticore, beautiful as a gryphon, or awe-inspiring as a dragon, Louise's summon was clearly very... exotic. When it first appeared in a flash of light and dust (From the minor explosion that accompanied the spell) the feline female took a long look and tentative sniff towards the young summoner before pouncing and eagerly rubbing its face against the young noble's.

Luckily the shock from seeing an unknown creature being summoned before them stupefied the surrounding mages, preventing any of them from attacking the cat-eared creature out of fear. After all, there were plenty of known first-born races that looked more or less humanoid, such as the Elves, Vampires, and the Bird-People, but Cat-people? And this friendly towards humans? That was something completely unheard of.

Finally Louise was able to finish her chant and plant a kiss upon her unruly cat-girl summon.

In response, two shining slitted golden orbs looked at the young girl in confusion, only for the catgirl to draw in close once again and begin rubbing its nose on Louise's, only stopping to paw at her left hand.

A yawn was all the warning Louise had before the black-tressed cat-girl pushed the summoner own and curled around the noble's body.

Well, at least the summon liked her, thought the Valliere.

.oO0Oo.

A lazy early morning broke over the towers of the Tristanian Academy for magic, vibrant sunlight filling various nooks and crannies with it's warm glow. And through a wood framed window on the third floor, one adventurous beam snuck into a richly decorated room and gently illuminated two female figures sleeping on a four poster bed.

One of which wasn't having a good time at all.

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière had a restless night, plagued by nightmares of drowning and the weight of all of the expectations that...

I mean, the weight of 57 kilograms of pure black-haired overly-affectionate catgirl splayed across her chest, and black-furred ears and tail constantly tickling her face and neck.

But still, despite the weight and the itchiness of the fur, the young mage found herself to be quite comfortable. "Another minute, and I'll wake her up" she reassured herself as one hand scratched the head before her. "Just another minute".

That day, for the first time since she entered the academy, Louise was late to class.

~Owari – A Cat(girl) is fine too, OC catgirl summon~


	6. Legacy of the Magus

AN: If you follow the ZnT snippet thread on SB, you'd know about the things I said of the "continuation" to Hill of Swords on this site right now. If you don't... frankly I have very little not-negative things to say about that... coat-tailing story. Needless to say, for such a scathing review, I was expected to "put my money where my mouth was", and in mere minutes came up with a better take on the whole idea. This is a short setting-fleshing prologue I eventually made for it.

Legacy of the Magus.

Prologue

* * *

"Onii-tan!"

"Onee-tan!"

Shaking her head, Siesta watched over the Scions of Tristain's King of Swords. The two had the distinct blue hair of Gallian Royalty, but their faces, bodies, and personalities all seemed to mirror their Father more then their mother.

The Twin Heirs, breaking the rule of Two-Staves-One-Crown.

The brother and sister pair were intelligent, energetic, but above all inseparable. And their Mother (as well as her allies) fought to keep it that way.

Even when they mangled the home tongue off the maid's own homeland, the language that brought their parents together. But childhood innocence and precocious children aside, Siesta watched over the two as they played near the Hill of Swords, twin pistols hidden within her apron's folds.

It was a dangerous time, with the world finally reacting to the death and legacy of the King of Swords. Murmurs of unrest were stirring among the populace, and relations between the Brimic Nations were worsening. While Kirche and Colbert, the new Lord and Lady of the Zerbst Lands promised protection on that front at least, they too spoke of dark undercurrents in their homeland.

It was why this clandestine meeting was here. A secret reunion of the companions of the King, the companions who themselves obtained various seats of power.

"Tabitha", the mother of these two Hellions, Queen Charlotte, still looked as childlike as ever; Queen Henrietta, "Radical Royal"; Kirche; Guiche; and all the rest of their band were here, at the Estate of Emptiness, Louise's lands.

It would be a meeting to ensure the future. To make sure the present would not be destroyed by the

Legacy of the Magus.

* * *

Closing Notes: Here's a direct rip of my original idea/pitch. I'm not looking to do anything with it, but I figure that it'll allow you to understand where this little snippet fits into the world at large.

* * *

Lol, if it was me, I'd do the son of Tabitha and Shirou, (maybe even throwing a bone to the "Two staves" and make them twins or fraternal one-boy-one-girl twins for maximum hilarity). And then the child has go decide what to do with the Windstone crisis.

Political intrigue and schemes from the wake of Tristian and Shirou's actions come into play, and the Elves are more militant, cohesive, and prepared than ever, having inexplicably lost high-level soldiers to just ONE man, all as the World Gate further destabilizes. The Coming of the Devil is inevitable, and they have had plenty enough time to prepare.

Brimir's powers and Vittorio's shenanigans are coming to a head, and our hero(s) will come to realize that they are an entire generation behind. Despite Tristain, Albion, and Gallia all united because of their leaders (Henrietta, Tiffania?, and Charlotte respectively), once again undercurrents of dissatisfaction stir among the nobles, emboldened by the death of the King of Swords, the separatists learned from Reconquista's mistake and dug in for the Long Game, carefully planning and crafting their rebellion. Reports of a Gallian Doppelganger and rumors of the Queen (Charlotte's) dirty dealings spread throughout the land, with the general populace unsure of who to trust.

Shirou and Louise changed the face of war for all of Halkegina. And now, their descendants must pick up the pieces and live with the effects of what their forebearers have done.

No longer shall anyone find a honorable death upon a Hill of Swords, the great countries begin to devolve into anarchy in...

Legacy of the Magus.


	7. Acchi Kocchi

AN: These are 3 related snips based in the same world. Cross with Acchi Kocchi. Written as individual snips, so it would be best to pause between each snip.

* * *

Acchi Kocchi snip 1 : Io

Or "Why isn't this guy the Windalfr?"

~~~~~  
"Ah. Louise."

The young mage didn't know what to think of her familiar. She summoned a commoner boy but at the same time he didn't act like one at all.

Seemingly perpetually half-asleep, his calm and ever gentle demeanor just oozed confidence and comfort. He did what he was commanded without protest, and always seemed to be perfect.

"kyuuuuiii..."

Except outside of her room.

No matter what, where, or when, Louise's familiar seemed to accrue a band of happy and touchy-feely familiars the moment he was in public. It disrupted classes and made travel difficult, but any scolding or reprimand would bring instant hate from the said animals.

Many mages began to feel inadequate and betrayed, as no matter how close the bond, it would always be interrupted by the summoned boy's natural charm.

The teachers and Old Osmond have been spending all their free time in the library trying to find the reason, but there was no indication of what this boy could be.

Louise had to admit it, but her familiar was _Magical_.

* * *

End snip 1

* * *

/Snip - Acchi Kocchi - snip 2 (Miniwa)

* * *

Tiffania didn't know what to make of the miniature blue-haired girl she summoned not a week ago.

While she had command of unparalleled mind-erasing magic, there were tasks that the half-elf relied on her "elder sister" for.

Like keeping the Orcs away.

The Albion-native pig-men Loved children. And the orphanage always looked like a juicy target.

Mathilda always spent a day ensuring the Orcs would stay away from the orphanage with her large Golems, earthen protectors that would dissuade the beasts from coming near. But it had been too long: the Orcs were getting bolder and bolder.

Tiffania heard them coming while she was outside, and quickly rushed in and locked the doors. She gathered all the children and doused the flames, begging them to be quiet and to hide out of sight.

The sounds of the orc's rampage and destruction drew closer and closer. And Tiffania began to panic. The only time they were ever this close was when Mathilda first moved here, after the guards her family owned had disappeared. She needed someone to help she needed...

"someone out there, anyone, please come to my aid"

With that prayer, an otherworldly light filled the room as the door splintered and cracked against the might of a lone pig-beast, separated from the main raiding party by it's own greed.

That was the first time Tiffania met the pint-sized superhuman. Her summon, Tsumiki.

Later, the orc would find itself with it's head embedded in a tree, with no recollection of anything.

Life at the orphanage now, a week or so later, was good.

But still, Tsumiki and Tiffania both knew, it would be only a matter of time...

* * *

End snip 2

* * *

AN: I suggest going to youtube and watching some Acchi Kocchi videos right now, as a break between the previous snip and the following one. It'll also be a good introduction/refresher on Acchi Kocchi's particular flavor, and it'll enrich the enjoyment of the next snip (which, as you can tell, is quite substantial and better written).

/Acchi Kocchi - Io and Tsumiki (that idiot couple) summon - snip 3 - "I could swear I saw cat-ears"

* * *

Louise's summon, the legendary Gandalfr known as "Io", always had this calm about him. This gentle charisma and permeating influence made him the envy and idol of wherever he went, despite being a commoner. But for the first time ever, Louise felt her familiar's anger through their bond.

Or maybe it wasn't through the bond. The calm fury seemed to radiate off of every inch of his body, a sort of white-hot heat akin to a cannon shot heated before launch... there was no rampaging rage nor berserker's aura about him, but rather a consuming_nothingness_.

It almost was as if his expression was saying "Angry? I'm not angry. Not at all", but you did not need to see him to feel the icy hand of fear tightening its grip upon your heart. An exquisite anger. An elegant ire. He surveyed the scene as if an Elf watching over misbehaving commoners, as if the necessary intervention was so beneath him, he did not know where to begin.

"Tsumiki"

There it was again, that name. In this sea rancor that emanated from her familiar, it was the one word filled with tenderness, with care, with... _love_.

From her position behind the spectacled boy, Louise dared not breathe a word of it, to ask her familiar just how that word could be so _gentle_.

No, Louise just watched on, and stared straight ahead at the proof of a neglectful noble.

An orphanage, with one of the older residents fighting valiantly, against a pack of Orcs.

A horde of Village-breaking, Child-raping, Baby-eating Pig-men. The kinds of monsters the Lord of the land was supposed to protect his people from.

But now, in front of her, was the prelude for "Orchish Delight", a feast for the herd, in progress.

What could she do? Idealistic, righteous, and young... even then, Louise knew that she could make no difference. A single orc needed five hardened soldiers to be felled, or an adult battlemage. In such a throng like this, even someone like her mother would think twice about rushing in without backup. (Not that she'd _lose_ or anything. But Mama Valliere wasn't Stupid. I mean it wasn't like she would have gotten hurt, right? Not Karin the Heavy Wind. Of course not. But still, she would... "take her time before engaging". Yes. That's it. "Take her time".)

Clearly the blue-haired girl, which at this distance seemed even smaller than Tabitha, would not be able to hold out. Even as she used the door and threshold to her advantage.

"Derflinger" Io's hardened voice intoned, somehow still being pure calm in its purest essence.

The sword barely had time to affirm it was listening (with the traditional rusty "aye") before the paragon of serenity vanished from Louise's side.

And the battle was Joined.

Louise cursed from her hiding spot. Stupid familiar, now she had to follow him. Into the fray it ways.

* * *

The pig-men were disgusting.

Even moreso than Sawaki's plan of putting pig-feet in marshmallows or Mayoi's frog-filled chocolates.

But there was no end to them.

Miniwa was strong. Miniwa was fast. Miniwa was small. All three of these factors allowed her to minimize damage taken, maximize damage done, and use the bottleneck created by the doorway to her advantage. But even that wasn't enough.

The waves of monsters didn't seem like it would end.

In the beginning she used tools like mops and brooms to extend her reach and to deflect attacks. Now she was reduced to splintered legs of chairs and parts of a table. She was running out of environmental weapons, but worse, she was running out of energy.

But she had to keep going. To protect Tiffania and the children. She had to stay alive, if only just to increase the chance of seeing Io once again just by hair. She had to.

And so she fought. And fought.

Her hands were bruised, and her arms sore, screaming in protest as she soldiered on. Each dodge became more sluggish, each breath burned just that much more.

Still, the cat in the form of a little girl kept baring her claws.

But for how much longer?

* * *

Tsumiki.

Io's heart soared. It had been too long, and in that time he realized just how integral she was to his life.

She was everywhere. Each day he woke up, each moment he lived, he expected to run into the little one around the next corner, behind the next door, at the next moment. But she never did. She couldn't.

But here she was! Here she was… in danger.

He had to save her.

He had to.

* * *

The Girl had saved her again. That blue-haired body hid more power than Tiffania ever imagined. With feline grace, and superhuman reflexes, the elf-girl's summon made her feel more secure than she had for months.

But even with this power. Even with this grace, this expertise… Tiffania dared not hope.

For it was hopeless. A pack of Orcs, what normally required an entire army to take out, had found her sanctuary.

With the petite blue-haired girl as the orphanage's only defense, Tiffania watched with a darkened heart, whispering assurances to the children she wished she could have had the tiniest drop of belief in. She had no delusions of her chances. She knew the impending fate for her and those she took care of for so long.

And then the screams came.

As did the explosions.

The pack broke away. A new threat had emerged. Confusion began to spread throughout the ranks.

It was the chance, the breather, Tiffania's summon needed.

One by one the orcs fell, some at the door, some at the back, some seemingly blown away by a familiar force.

Tiffania prayed not to the spirits. Tiffania prayed not to Brimir. Tiffania did not pray today.

But somehow, some force had saved her.

Maybe she should start.

* * *

It was not the glamorous reunion either of them had dreamed of.

Two lovers reuniting amidst a sea of freshly butchered corpses. A battlefield perfectly set for Love and War.

But it didn't matter. Their breaths caught in their throats, in disbelief the two almost forgot how to breathe

"Mitsuketa [I Found You]"

Derflinger dropped, with a cry of protest, from Io's hands as he began to move forward, accelerating towards the one he loved.

"Mitsukata [You Found Me]" responded Miniwa, as she too broke into a run.

For some reason, as the two Void Mages looked on as their respective partners embraced, despite the touching and uplifting scene before them, a deep seated jealousy burned. A voice in the back of their heads seemed to seethe and scream "But She/He's MINE!".

Io broke the embrace and scooped the petite powerhouse into a bridal carry, causing Tsumiki's face to turn a luminescent pink.

The earlier voice was then immediately drowned out by a chorus of "Awww!"s, all cooing at the cuteness exuded from the two displaced earthlings' interactions. Looks like that hereditary possessiveness won't be a matter this generation.

Oblivious to the Birimiric Miracle that just happned, Io ducked his head close to his pretty-much-official girlfriend's ear.

"Welcome back" he whispered.

"Welcome... nyack?" the blue-haired girl replied in confusion, as two ear-like appendages seemed to pop up from the top of her head.

With a gentle smile, as if he expected that answer, Io continued.

"Yes, To where you belong: In my arms"

"Nya! *poomf*"

Tiffania and Louise could take no more. His graceful line, her childish reaction... they felt the pressure building and then...

*pi-chuun!*

Despite being universes away from Gensokyo, the two girls had the first Simultaneous Nosebleedsparku in the history of Halkegina.

~Owari~


	8. An Epicure's Guide to Halkegina

Warning, a bit rough due to my internal voice shifting multiple times and the fact that I "jumped around" while writing it:

* * *

**A Epicure's Guide to Halkegina **

/Head Siesta prologue/intro

* * *

The countries of Halkegina each had their own specialties. Famous items, food, and other cultural icons gave each nation, no matter how big, or small for that matter, a sense of individuality and pride.

What may surprise many is the sheer number of "nations" there are.

This "Continent of Magic", as they call themselves, or more appropriately this "Domain of Humans" does not have four or five nations within it, but a multitude of them, all grouped into major "regions" or to the connoisseur, "flavors".

This giant peninsula has five major "Kingdoms", "Realms" if you will, of five charismatic lines of leaders. As the nations within each region developed, their products and culture inevitably became tied to the "Atmosphere" and "Feel" of not only the larger state, but the ruler as well.

For the rich and curious epicure Halkegina is a land of wonder and richness, of diverse plenty that will be sure to please your palate. Don't let the geographical nearness fool you! These regions are as different as they come.

Take for existence...

**Germania**

A "Barbaric" empire, with many states all united in military and monetary power. Right up against the unforgiving desert and within a stone's throw from elven territory, this robust region is filled with contrast. From rocky mountains to dense forest, or white sand beaches to icy cliffsides; in one word, the Germanian empire is "Different".

Different from all the other regions, where nobility is based on birth above all, Gold can buy land and make nobles in this vast region, the largest percentage of Halkegina under a single ruler. But underneath that ruler, it is the Merchants who "Rule" the lands. A hidden prerequisite, you can say, of the noble class. Each Lord and Lady, if to be successful at keeping ahold of their lands, must be a merchant, a businessman/woman to ensure they aren't "Bought out". Lands change hands many times as people move in, out, or just about the states that make up this empire, further diversifying this already multi-cultural region. Yet for all their differences, and often because of them, the Germanian people, and their food, share a common link.

"Spicy".

Hot-headed, passionate, complex. These three words describe both the dishes and the residents of this militant empire perfectly. Be it in food, in battle, or in pleasure, Germania demands large portions. Not Gourmet, but Gourmand! Many historians and travelers say that the typical common dinner meal speaks volumes of the region as a whole, but especially the women who cook it. If so, then Germanians must be big, bountiful, and ever so feisty. And the description could not be more apt. Like their women, Germanian food is chock-full of a spicy kick, a characteristic brought about by their mercantile and militaristic system.

The Halkeginan saying "Germanian hordes hoards spice" isn't exactly right... but it's not too wrong either. Enamored with their way of life... or just too drunk on Germania's fine Hard Liquor, many merchant caravans merely stop in the capital of this great empire, never going onward to the other regions. This means that Germania the place with the most plentiful and diverse selection of spices, and because of that, Germanian food often is suffused with a multitude of spices... and to the discerning palate could be Overly used. But it is here where you will come across complex flavors and delicacies, like Birds of Paradise or Wurst. Each of these dishes has a unique, if alebit heavily spiced, character. Just like their food, the drink of Germania is heavily spiced too. Mulled wine and spice liquor dominate the taverns and tables come feast-day, but here, Beer is king.

Whether made with the relatively recent "Hops", the traditional Gruit, or any other number of adjuncts, Germanian beer is as varied and delectable as all the localities within the Empire. Each region has it's own distinct batches of Flavors, or "Brews", and thanks to the innovation of a Water and wind mage couple centuries past, shipments of these beers have allowed each region to be known throughout the land for their special taste. It should also be no surprise that the descendants of this couple, the Hapags, would come to preside over the most popular regional-flavor of all, the Dunkel. While it is not my "cup of tea" per se, the meaty and complex flavors are surprisingly smooth, and it is a great compliment to any meal.

But why is it this way?

As an Empire, a strong and intimidating military is needed to maintain order and quell rebellions, but more importantly to deal with one of their neighbors: the Elves.

And it is through Elven lands these trains of spice must travel, paying the various tribes tithe to ensure safe passage. With a strong military and pressure upon the elves, Germania is able to make the accosting of Caravans "beneath" the ever proud elven race, and therefore ensure a cheaper (and "safer") trip for the said caravans. But of course, this projection of force also draws ire, and so Germania is the country that fights the most conventional battles with the elves. And they like reminding their _other_ neighbors of that fact... by displaying what they have "learned" from their most recent forays against an inhuman enemy against the easier pickings.

Of course... that is the most "Conventional Battles" with the elves. There is a region with... "Unconventional battles", its covert ops honed against the elves and wielded under a masterful guise allows it to keep tabs and manipulate events in all of the other regions. I am of course talking about the Seat of Religion, the region known as...

**Romalia**

"The Holy Nation", in reality a state barely held together by deceit, subversion, and greed, yet it's people will never fall apart due to their pride, and all the outsiders can see is a wall of solidarity behind the concept of "the seat of the pope". Completely different from the "godless" empire of Germania, the only region not ruled by a "holy ruler", Romalia is presided over by the holiest of them all, the pope, a priest that follows in the tradition of the founder of Romalia, Brimir's apprentice.

For those of us lucky enough to travel to far off lands and enjoy the wondrous spices within, Romalia is the region it's at. Forget Germania with it's overspiced meat and liqour. Romalia has _Style_. Flair. With the warmest weather and therefore widest range of herbs, vegtables, and meats give birth to delectably eclectic dishes from many traditions. Being the religious center of Halkegina, and through its residents' wide-reaching connections, crusades, and covert operations, Romalia has a diverse population, and an even more diverse well of knowledge to draw upon.

There are many tales and legends that one can tell of this diverse area, but as you will soon come to learn, it is hard to determine just which ones have that grain of truth. Here, what's real is what's in front of you and what you hold in your hands at that moment. Nothing else. Even though it is a place of faith, Materialism is king in the "Heart of Religion".

Being both the seat of the Main religion of Halkegina and "ground zero" for its competitors highlights the wondrous duplicitous nature of Romalia, as can be seen by their food. Many dishes do "Double duty", like their extremely hard wheat flour noodles, "Pasta", found in both Soup_ and_ Salad, as well as a multitude of other places. Another such example is the tomato, a plant once thought to be poison, but miracuously delicous and nutritious as long as you did not cook the roots and vines along with it! Remember: the duality is not because of the food, but the people itself. While everything seems wonderful and welcoming at the surface, a true Romalian will be sure to be thinking other thoughts beneath the surface. Do not be lulled by your sense of wonder and awe in the face of the people, food, and architecture of the Holy State. For many of those who live and work here, Gold is their God. And they profit off of everyone else. Especially unaware travelers.

But this "Dual Nature" of the more metaphorical sense leads us into our next region, who also has a two-sided nature. But this time, it's a bit more... physical.

**Gallia**

Of two staves and one crown. The land of twins. For some reason, moreso than in any other region, the rate of multiple births is the greatest in this country, often double or even triple that of the other regions. So it would be no surprise that the royal line of Gallia too has a history of twins.

A sad and bloody history, I am sorry to say.

The legend goes, that far off in a distant time, the world and lands were far more unforgiving. Having two sons, born identical, was seen as a good omen by the then King, they grew up and their family expanded, but the King had to choose between the two princes.

And so he did.

Abel, the elder twin, a water mage, and Cain, the younger, an earth mage, were told to put their "best foot forward" and claim the throne. Abel went around noble houses and obtained supporters, trading favors and more. Cain, however, went into the countryside, where he used his Earth Magic to improve the land, and mediate disputes between commoners and the nobility. Seeing the compassion, and the diplomatic skills of the younger, the king named Cain the crown prince.

However, in the months before the crowning, rumors and reports of Cain's misconduct and impropriety spread throughout the land. Atrocities were being committed in his name. Villages burnt, children drowned, and nobles killed. So many claimed that he was the one, when his supporters knew it not to be true.

The Queen and King denied the charges, but the nobles were outraged. Even though some of them knew Cain was unable to do such things, the evidence kept piling higher. And so Cain was hung, but something went wrong. The rope, too short and thin, slit open the former crown prince's throat as he spasm and drowned in his own blood, twitching like mad. It was done. Or so everyone thought. Abel was now the heir.

Then, on eve of coronation, disaster, or in a twisted sense Justice, struck. The truth came out.

Suspicious that so many would claim that Cain was the perpetrator, the Queen had a revelation during her mourning. There was one person that looked exactly like her fallen child. One person that could have impersonated him. One person who had everything to gain... and little to lose.

Abel.

That night, she confronted her son, and demanded to know why. A commotion was made and by the time the guards and family rushed in, it was too late. Abel had killed the Queen, using forbidden water magics upon his own mother, eviscerating her from within, but not before she branded him with "Stigma", the fabled spell of the Royal Family, used only on traitors to the crown.

And so everyone knew. The then-crown prince was apprehended, tears of rage streaming down his cheeks, knowing that despite being so close, all was now lost.

This is the legend behind Two Staves and One Crown, why when there is a set of twins born to the royal line, one must be killed, or branded and exiled upon reaching majority.

It is also the origin story behind the famous Wines of Gallia, colloquially known as "The Blood of the Crown".

The children's rhyme referencing the epilogue exemplifies the typical link between this story and the origin of wine.

_The body of Cain lays in the arms_  
_Of Mother earth's warm embrace,_  
_Who else but Abel to do him harm,_  
_All to take his place._

_Blood and tears water the soil,_  
_from the corpse sprout the vines,_  
_Dutiful maid there to tend and toil,_  
_From sorrow comes the Wine_

The maid here is the twins' nursemaid, and the queen's favored handmaiden, Maenad, also known as the "Maid of Wine". The story goes that among the fields that Cain had help tend to, was a plot of land that held his favorite fruit: Grapes. The purple globes of juicy sweetness was beloved by the crown prince, and from these plants came his idea to foster a better relationship between commoner and Noble. To celebrate the prince officially became the heir, the vineyard he helped crushed their grapes into juice to allow for easier transport over the long journey to the capital, along with a grape seedling to celebrate his kindness. Maenad planted that seedling at watched over it during the following months of turmoil. When the prince was executed, for his perceived crimes, instead of being buried with the rest of the royal family, he was given a small plot at the foot of his grape vine. After his name had been cleared, Maenad took a jar of the forgotten juice to share with Cain's spirit before he was moved. To her surprise, while not sour or spoiled, the juice had changed. From her first tentative sip, her body was warmed, and it felt as if Cain was alive once again, smiling at her like when he was a child.

Make no mistake. As haunting as the rhyme is, it holds the pride of the Gallian people. The "Blood of Royals" holds flavor and terrior unlike any other region, and truly is something "worth dying for". Especially Eaux de Vin, or "Water of Wine", an aged distillation of the very essense of another particular wine of the region: "Abel's Tears", a near undrinkable concoction once only drank during fasting, penance, or mourning.

An interesting tidbit is that the Fortified Wine, "Deux Vin", the most exported wine among all the wines of Gallia, is known as "Vin des Frères", or "Wine of the Brothers", as it is made with the acclaimed wine "Blood of Cain", fortified with the brandy distilled from "Abel's Tears".

And just like its wines, Gallia's food has a richness, a history behind them. Each dish brought to your table will undoubtedly have sordid tales, have been eaten by kings centuries ago, invented by Generals upon the battlefield, or just created by some mad culinary genius who managed to obtain renown. Unlike Germania where large portions and big food is the norm, Gallia is a region of "Gourmet". Germanian tourists complain of the "specks of food" upon their plate... but they'd be damned if it wasn't the richest and most sensuous speck that ever entered their mouths. Here small on size does not mean small on flavor.

Speaking of small, the smallest region of all is where we're headed next. It's so small that there are only four major nations of people upon it, and even then they're remarakably similar. Of course, being on a lone island, suspended in the sky means that outside influences are rare. I am, of course, talking about the White Country,

**Albion**

Enveloped in a curtain of white mist, the floating Island in the Sky, surrounded by Air and Water, it is no surprise that Drake and fish dishes have no equal. Smaller and less intelligent cousins to the dragon, the Mist drakes and Ocean drakes of Albion is a great example of how once-nuisances become now-delicacies. A dish that perfectly captures the essence of Albion is Sky Chowder, made from the meats of Mist Drakes, skyfish, and scallops, all brought together in a creamy broth filled with Albion's realm-acclaimed diary.

If you come to Albion, there are three things you must try. First, as mentioned earlier, Sky Chowder, a soup that captures the country's flavor perfectly, alongside a good Drake Roast.

Second is an Albionese breakfast, with their acclaimed cheeses and butter, but be sure to get a glass of fresh milk. Without it, you will never know just how wonderful the flavors can meld and be. Normally reserved for farmers or rich noblemen, Milk is something that while not rare, is just hard to get unspoiled. But here, in Albion, there is plenty to go around. The cool climate and prevalence of diary farms makes it so that everyone can partake in this creamy beverage. And because of that, not only is food tailored and paired with wine and beer, but certain dishes are made to go with milk. I certainly suggest trying the "Woodsman's Breakfast", a popular style of breakfast originating from the forests of Westwood.

Now, what could the third dish be you may ask me? Let me go off on a tangent.

Albion is an isolated island, and with it's remote location and need for windstone-powered ships, very little trade is fostered between it and the mainland. Therefore spices are expensive and rare in this land in the heavens, and it shows in their food. What they do have, though, is fresh herbs and Salt. Surrounded by the sky-sea on all sides, unlike other regions where Salt is a precious commodity, here they have no shortage of it. Every time a ship sails down to the mainland, or to float upon the sea, the wings and sails become caked with dried brine, which is then shaken or picked off, and then stored to bring back to port. Salt is also Albion's main culinary export, and it shows.

The only complaint I have with the cuisine of this pastoral island is, frankly, the salt. Unlike Germania who has too much spice and no salt, Albion has too much salt and no spice. A flat flavor, and meats that fall apart due to oversalting and overcuring. This mistake is especially egregious in their porridge, hams, and preserved meats. It is said Albionese bacon is so salted, there is more salt than meat, and if you hung it on a ship's mast and sailed the seas for a year, it still would not be wet enough to spoil. While the second story may be exaggeration, when you eat the meat, it doesn't feel like much. But sometimes, too much salt... is a good thing.

The third dish you must try is not actually a dish. It is a distinctly Albionese method of cooking. The Salt Dome.

Drake hatching, air-fish, sea-fish, even just large cuts of meat. By using fresh herbs and the ever-plentiful chunks of salt, Albion's cooks are able to create a hard shell that concentrates the flavors within the meat that when broken, reveals a fresh, succulent, and amazingly flavorful dish that frankly cannot be had anywhere else. Unless you are able to obtain herbs with that distinct sweetness and fragrance from being grown in the rocky soil of Albion, drake or fish as fresh or as flavorful, and the sheer amount of salt. Even imitating one part of this trinity is hard enough. To do all three requires more gold than needed to buy a castle, or for you to be here, in Albion.

As you can see, these three dishes highlight and celebrate how different, distant, far-removed Albion is from the Rest of Halkegina. However, historically Albion was very close to another region, so close that had it been centuries ago I would have classified them as one and the same despite their differing rulers. But barely a century ago, two of Albion's princes became entangled with a young girl from the mainland in a most embarrassed royal scandal. Disgusted by his family's response and his younger brother's conduct, the heir to the throne abdicated and left to go live in the said girl's homeland, and it took all of the goodwill on both sides to calm things over. There the former crown prince of Albion became the Lord of Tarbes, the owner of the fields and ports closest to his homeland, in the land of our next, and final, region to cover.

**Tristiania**

As mentioned earlier, Tristania once would have been considered a part of the same region as Albion, but what close cultural ties they had from an elevated level of trade and free movement to and from each other's ports took a sharp turn centuries before even the incident with the Lord of Tarbes.

Albion and Tristania were extremely close because, frankly, the port of La Rochelle and albion's movements due to the moons lined up just perfectly all while staying the closest point on the mainland of Halk to the floating island in the sky. But a few centuries ago, Tristania began to change. After a skirmish with Germania was followed by a Gallian attack, the already small and weak country lost much of its land, and became meek and scared. It closed off its borders as best it could and tried to recover. However, a few years later, to the shock of even some Tristanian nobles, King pushed back and reclaimed the lands once lost. This signaled a new era, an era of prosperity and development, a "renaissance" of sorts. But to understand this revolution, we must look at what Tristania is, instead of what it was. And in the words of the Gallian Gourmet Grimod de La Reynière, "Quelle meilleure façon d'apprendre que nos bouches et les estomacs vides?", or "What better way to learn than with our mouths and empty stomachs?"

Tristania is the "Jack of All Trades". It has less salt than Albion, less Spices than Germania, less "Richness" than Gallia, and less diversity than Romalia. Yet it manages to strike that quaint balance, which is quite evident in traditional Tristanian cuisine. Each dish comes with a history, not a dissertation, and while unique in its own way compared to the rest of the menu is not outlandishly out of place either. Not oversalted or overspiced, but not underseasoned either.

Tristainian food is complex in its simplicity. It, like their wine and drink, gives you a sense of clean refreshment. Not overdone, just done right. If you are to go across Halk, nay, across the world in search of culinary pleasures, of be-wonderment of the buds, of a sensational sensuous sophistication... come home to Tristainia. Come home to simplicity at its best. To Cookberry pie, to fried-then-baked pillows of delight, to crispy yet soft lattices with cream and syrup. Beyond breakfast holds simple meats and cheeses upon relativity simple vehicles of delivery. Dinner consists of fresh fish or meat seasoned slightly to bring out the natural flavors. There are, of course, more complex and flavorful dishes enjoyed by the populace, but compared to the other regions of the world, it is still wonderfully simple. Nothing is quite like it.

But in the words of the great Gourmand Von Nezburg,

_"Simplicity is Simplicity after all,_  
_admist countless repetitions you'll tire,_  
_when the cold wind blows heralding fall,_  
_Germanian Beer is what you'll Desire!"_

While perfectly cooked Tristainian food gave many a Gourmet a revelation of culinary truth, in the end, it was nothing to write home about.

A few hundred years ago, that is. But of course, a few hundred years ago the idea of "Gourmet" and "Gourmand" did not exist. What changed the situation so much? What caused our view of food and culture to change so much, and for Tristanian cuisine to become the perfect balance, the standard everyone is compared too?

To quote the children of Tristania:

"And then along came a Maid..."

To be Continued...

* * *

(MaouyuuXZnT - HeadMaid Siesta prolouge end)

* * *

Announcing, in celebration of maouyuu's recent updates, a new snip series...

With the premise: "What if HeadMaid was Siesta's anscestor?"

Alterations: Outside of the usual, Headmaid was summoned X hundred years ago, so that Siesta is some generations down the line. Long ago, Headmaid was eventually picked up by the Tristainan royal family, and faithfully served them well (after the end of Maouyuu. Which I won't spoil for you). She... bore some children, and those children were (or eventually were) "crossed into" the Tristanian royal line, but from Headmaid's guidance and certain political pressures, the line of maids merely served their masters faithfully. Each generation has at least one Maid, with the best becoming the next "HeadMaid". Tristania changes... for the better?

Cue today, where Siesta, Head Maid-in-training (not HeadMaid in-training, that's a rank upwards ) is faithfully serving her "Master", Henrietta, by watching over the Tristainian Academy of Magic (not too far from the castle, mind you) and ensuring that it puts the "Right foot forward" for Tristania on an international stage... in reality, she's there to watch over their shared childhood friend, Louise.

One year of tears, secret support, and barely restrained fury later, it is the eve of the most important day of the trio's life. What happens tommorrow at the summoning scene will determine Louise's life from that moment on. And all the master-and-maid pair can do is wait...

Right?

(Also, before you religious "experts" get up in my case about Cain and Abel, I chose to reverse the "killer" on purpose. If you read the story of cain and abel through a more analytical eye, you'll see that it is a condemnation of technological and sociological development. Cain, who tends the land and is "settled", is inferior to Abel, who lives a pastoral lifestyle and is "closer" to a hunter-gatherer. I wanted to tie that back to who they were (so why one's an earth mage, and one's a water mage) and sort of change things up in Halk, much like how Foquet and Colbert's roles were somewhat changed)


	9. Monster Halkegina

Here's some monstergirl crack as I try to get back into writing Louise's Life with Monster Girl.

Basically (most) Monstergirl - Noble Female  
Male Mage - Noble Male  
Human Female and nonmagical men - Commoner  
"Mindless" monster girl - Female victim of magic

It is uncommon, but not particularly rare, for Noble Females to children of another monstergirl "type", so it's a pretty homogeneous society.

Anyway, onwards:

* * *

Today was a special day at the Tristain Academy for Magic. An important day, a happy day. A day made only more pleasant by singing birds, warming sunlight, and a gentle springtime zephyr, spreading freshness and joy throughout the normally dusty and dank halls of the academy.

On the third floor, a stunning creature of fire, scales, and ever-so-exposed skin raised herself from the cushions she had been basking in the sun on and walked over to her dressing table.

The bronze skinned beauty carefully took a damp cotton pad from a bowl, prepared by maids earlier, and applied it to her scales gently, being careful to gently massage the moisture in and polish the scales. Kirche didn't mind being a Salamander... it was, after all, a near-perfect fit for someone such as herself. Much like her mother, the fiery passion innate to all salamanders helped her embody the principles of the Zerbst. And also much like her mother, she found it ironic that having a Fire alignment made her need water far more than the other lizardgirl species as the fire that was a part of her body tended to dry out her scales and skin even faster.

No matter. She didn't mind waking up a bit early to ensure she looked her best, especially today: it was the Springtime Familiar Summoning. One of the most important days of a girl's life, second only to the day she finds her mate and formally challenges him. Today was the day she would summon her first familiar. And as everyone knows, you always remember your first.

Kirche smiled and continued to polish and shine her scales. She couldn't wait to find out what fate had in store for her!

Across the hall, another girl also waited for the start of the Summoning Ritual. Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, (the "Undeveloped Succubus", "Zero Sex Appeal Succubus", or just plain "Zero") however waited with hesitant anticipation. Even with the tails and horns of a Succubus, already there was word and rumor of her being a Lesser one... a Converted Commoner, without true magic and true humanity. The kind of encroachment on the Monster Class barely tolerated by both Commoners and Nobles alike. It did not help that all of her spells seemed to fail, and her "Succubus traits" never seemed to have bloomed. While her body liked like that of an Alice, her Charm, Seduction, and Dreamwalking were all non-existent.

Today would be her final chance to prove herself. If she failed, she knew that both the noble class and the commoners would shun her. She'd have nowhere to turn, and would be the target of much ridicule and suffering. She may even be exiled, used as cannon fodder or worst of all forced onto the streets for public use.

She didn't want any of that. But she put up her strong front and reassured herself that she would get a familiar and she'd show them all! She'd get an amazing familiar and prove once and for all that she was a true succubus, just like her mother!

A few stories up, a stoic girl dreaded the start of the day. Like some of the other Monstergirls she wore a pendant enchanted to keep her appearance similar to that of a human's... what she would look like if she was just a commoner. Unlike other monstergirls, however, she had another pendant, hidden away beneath her clothes that ensured that even without her "Human Pendant" her true form would be obscured.

A mighty Dragon masquerading as a lowly air wyvern, hoping that today wouldn't be the day that breaks the masquerade.

Many monstergirls, especially those of more "common types" hid their appearances for personal reasons. Convenience, shyness, or even inadequacy. Tabitha's reason was the same one she had for going to school outside of her home country. She just wanted the anonymity. An anonymity that could be broken if she summoned the wrong familiar later today...

And so the three girls, along with many others, waited for the sun to approach its zenith.

For the Springtime Summoning Ritual, with its power to change lives, would be held at Noon.


End file.
